THE GENDER EYE
Issue 2
The theme for the second issue is:
“ZERO TOLERANCE TO GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS”
Editorial
Despite a relatively strong legal
framework, violence against children in Uganda is wide spread, occurring almost
in all settings. A study conducted in 2005 found that 98% of the children
interviewed had experienced physical or emotional violence; 76% had experienced
sexual violence and 74% had experienced economic violence with 24.3% of the
children indicating that it occurred both at home and in school.
60.4% of in-school children particularly reported being routinely beaten and humiliated.
Preventing and responding to violence remains a daunting challenge. In order to tackle Violence Against Children in schools, the key line ministries including Ministry of Education and Sports and Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development will establish an inter-sectoral committee to address violence in schools.
This second issue of the Gender Eye is dedicated to addressing issues of Violence against Children in schools, and gives experiences of the children and progress by the government of Uganda and partners towards zero tolerance to Gender Based violence in schools.
Welcome and please contribute to the debate and be part of the processes to end Violence in schools!!
Gender Technical Adviser/MoES
So what is GBV?
GBV is often defined as any act, omission, or conduct that is perpetuated against a person’s will and that is based on socially ascribed differences (gender) between males and females. In this context, GBV includes but is not limited to sexual violence, physical violence and harmful traditional practices, and economic and social violence. Examples of GBV include trafficking in women and girls, rape, domestic violence, sexual abuse of children, and harmful cultural practices and traditions that irreparably damage girls’ and women’s reproductive and sexual health such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The primary driver of GBV is the power imbalance between women and men and the practice is deeply entrenched in some cultural practices and intimate relationships. As a result, while GBV affect both gender, women and girls suffer predominantly from it.
Here in Uganda, many women and girls are also affected by GBV. The recent Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS 2011) indicates twenty-eight percent of women and 9 percent of men age 15-49 report having experienced sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.
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GOVERNMENT & UNICEF LAUNCH ‘NATIONAL ZERO VIOLENCE’ CAMPAIGN IN SCHOOLS
The Government of Uganda in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other child rights stakeholders on 17th September launched the ‘National Zero violence’campaign in schools on the National Prayer day for Children and Action for Children at Hotel Africana.
Members of the Uganda Parliamentary Fellowship, High level representatives from the Government Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, Representatives of faith-based organizations including Uganda Catholic Secretariat, Church of Uganda and Uganda Muslim Supreme Council all attended the function
Some of the forms of violence include beating, Verbal, sexual and emotional abuse or any other violence that children may face.
The launch of the National Zero Violence Campaign in Schools kick started the advocacy for a culture of Zero tolerance to violence against children in schools. The campaign addresses various forms of violence perpetrated against children in schools, and encourage positive alternatives to punishment – such as mentoring, guidance and counseling. The alternatives will help encourage pupils to learn and be disciplined rather than when subjected to pain.
The campaign aims at creating a safe environment in which children in Uganda will learn, play, thrive and develop into productive, self-driven adults, and to ensure that their right to a peaceful, secure and enabling environment is not trampled upon by teachers, fellow students or other people they trust.The campaign also aims at changing attitudes and break the cycle of violence, since abused children often become perpetrators of violence themselves. With the campaign, the cycle of violence will be put to an end.
During the launch participants were tasked to look for a way forward to a future where children in Uganda enjoy a childhood of playing, learning and growing up safe, loved and cherished, this year’s National Day of Prayer and Action for Children was dedicated to launching the ‘National Zero violence’ campaign in schools.
“Together we can build a world where children’s safety and well-being are assured and where they can grow to adulthood in health, peace and dignity,”
THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM ON GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (GBV)
The 16 Days of Activism on Gender Based Violence (GBV) is coming up soon and we would like to encourage all schools to take part in this important activity.
The 16 Days Campaign is an annual event to be held from November 25th to December 10th every year. It was launched by Center Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991 as an annual campaign that demands the elimination of all forms of violence against women. It is aimed at raising awareness about GBV and to encourage others to help eliminate GBV.
Because the first day, November 25, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the last day, December 10, is International Human Rights Day and the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 16 days highlights that GBV violates human rights.
In order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights, this 16-day period also highlights other significant dates as follows:
November 29 – International Women Human Rights Defenders Day
December 1 – World AIDS Day
December 5 – International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
December 6 – Marks the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, observed in Canada as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
- Sexual and gender based violence committed by state agents, particularly the police or military
- Proliferation of small arms and their role in domestic violence
- Sexual violence in and after conflict
The public can participate in this activism by
* Raising awareness about gender based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels* Strengthening local work around violence against women
* Establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women
* Providing a forum in which organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies
* demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women
* Creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women
Look out for radio discussions, television and radio talk shows and newspaper pull outs during the commemoration of the 16 days of activism.
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Upcoming events/activities:
v Gender awareness training for center coordinating tutors in Karamoja-13th -15th /11/2012
v Gender Task Force Meeting 20th/11/2012
v Planning meeting with gender and budget
focal points 23rd/11/2012
v Review of Girls’ Strategy starts- November
2012:
v CEDAW reporting workshop- 4th/12/2012
v Gender Audit
v Developing Gender in Education Strategy.
v Completion of National Girls’ Strategy.
v Review of Gender in Education Policy
Gender unit
UDC Building Rm 3.23
Blog:
gendermoes.blogspot.com
Tel: +256-312517407
